Don’t Panic! No cases of Pneumonic Plague in New Jersey. Pneumonic Plague is caused by a Yersinia pestis bacteria. As of this writing there are no or ZERO reported cases or spread in New Jersey.
WHO already made statements about this but is just a confirmation that the disease really exists.
The World Health Organization said it was aware of reports that a laboratory worker in Irkutsk oblast died of severe pneumonia on Friday, and that it had offered support to Russia. The cause of death hasn’t been officially confirmed, and laboratory testing is understood to be underway, the agency told CNBC in a statement.
“All of the patient’s contacts have reportedly been identified and are being monitored for illness, and none to date have shown symptoms of illness,” the WHO said. – CNBC
Pneumonic Plague Cases in New Jersey
If you are curious, Pneumonic plague is a rare, severe lung infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It is widely recognized by scientists as the most dangerous form of plague because it is the only type that can be transmitted directly from person to person.
Take note that Yersinia pestis is a bacterium not a virus! It transmits by contact and not by air unlike Covid 19 a years ago.
IMMEDIATELY REPORTABLE DISEASE
Per N.J.A.C. 8:57, healthcare providers and administrators shall immediately report by
telephone confirmed and suspected cases of plague to the health officer of the
jurisdiction where the ill or infected person lives, or if unknown, wherein the diagnosis is
made. The health officer (or designee) must immediately institute the control
measures listed below in section 6, “Controlling Further Spread,” regardless of
weekend, holiday, or evening schedules. A directory of local health departments in New
Jersey is available at http://www.state.nj.us/health/lh/directory/lhdselectcounty.shtml
If the health officer is unavailable, the healthcare provider or administrator shall make
the report to the Department by telephone to 609.826.5964, between 8:00 A.M. and
5:00 P.M. on non-holiday weekdays or to 609.392.2020 during all other days and hours.
Pneumonic plague vs Pneumonia
What is Yersinia pestis bacterium
To be honest this bacterium is quite complicated. National Library of Medicine dissected and elaborated it by way of transmissions below:
Transmission from one host to another relies mainly on infected flea bites, inducing typical painful, enlarged lymph nodes referred to as buboes, followed by septicemic dissemination of the pathogen. In contrast, droplet inhalation after close contact with infected mammals induces primary pneumonic plague. Finally, the rarely reported consumption of contaminated raw meat causes pharyngeal and gastrointestinal plague. – National Library of Medicine
However, the one that trends now is about the Pneumonic Plague so don’t stress yourself to figure out the others. Try to look at the table below for your reference.
Basically, Yersinia pestis is a bacterial infection. CDC said that person-to-person spread of pneumonic plague occurs through close-range respiratory droplets, not fine airborne aerosols! CDC
Don’t Panic! No cases of Pneumonic Plague in New Jersey by a Yersinia pestis
As of this writing New Jersey is monitoring tis disease. But again, there are no cases yet in NJ!
TIPS AND WARNINGS:
- Pneumonic plague is caused by a bacterium and not by a virus!
- Prevention is better than cure so stay clean or sanitized!
- No vaccine yet for this and still under development!